When I’ve just become a mom I’ve heart a lot about the Baby Einstein educational movies for infants. I thought it was interesting, moreover I wanted my girl to become a brainy one and was sure that the Baby Einstein would help her.
I searched the web trying to find information concerning baby educational films. I read a lot and now I’ve made some conclusions, moreover, I’ve stated to problems:
1. Where to get Baby Einstein or Brainy baby movies?
2. Does my child really need this kind of stimulation?
There are tones of sites in the internet where one can buy everything connected to the Baby Einstein Company starting with the Baby Einstein baskets, baby einstein missions music ending up with Baby Einstein birthday cakes and Baby Einstein cake decorations, but all this stuff is rather expensive. Then I’ve found some Baby Einstein and Brainy baby series in one torrent. Although it’s illegal, people still download these educational films there. And here is another problem – is this worth it?
I think not. To tell the truth, I’ve bought my girl the Baby Einstein basket and she was excited with the movies, but in few weeks she become nervous and manipulative, she brought me the DVD remote and cried till I turn her favorite series on. So what the problem, you might think, just turn it on make your child happy and relax for a while. The thing is that the American Academy of Pediatricians recommends not to let young children watching TV until they are at least 24 month old and the BE company doesn’t reveal this info.
Moreover, there was a study by researchers at the University of Washington which showed that educational movies influence negatively on the infants (8-16 months) language skills development and it influence neither positively no negatively on children from 18 to 24 months.
I decided not to show the Baby Einstein movies to my girl till she is 24 month. It’s only you to choose worth it or not!
Learn how your baby education can get better if you play together.
3 comments
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February 14, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Trisha
I agree the later they better. My daughter did not like baby eistein at all, she was too busy and would have rather played. i think it bored her. fine with me and I was glad after reading the same research you did.
However, by 6 months, she was a HUGE Elmo fan (the Hokey Pokey doll from school). By 10 moths she realized he was “alive” when he appeared on the Today Show. You cannot imagine how excited she was, squealing and looking at me with disbelief that her beloved Elmo was ALIVE! It was the greatest day of her life.
My daughter is now 22 months and she does watch some programs, but not usually without supervision and they are mostly all educational in nature, mostly she will watch Elmo or Super Why. She does like videos/movies with music — Like Praise Baby and the Wizard of Oz. Yes I realize the latter is a bit unorthodox for a 22 month old, but it has been her favorite for about 3 months now. She loves the music and we dance and march around the house to Follow the Yellow Brick Road.
While I prefer that she not watch TV, but because we interact with her, talking about what is on the screen or dancing to Oz, I do feel a little bit better about it because she really is learning things. Plus we do a lot of tea parties, coloring and build blocks. Of course, she was nearly 12 months until we let her watch any TV (and then only Elmo videos), before that is a more critical time when babies learn by touch, smell, and taste.
I think the real issue comes in when people use TV as a babysitter and leave children there for longer periods of time (sometimes hours). But I do not think that 20 mins here and there in a controlled setting will reflect any harm. Just don’t leave your baby unattended in front of the TV and expect them to learn something. That my opinion.
Trisha
http://www.amomsblog.wordpress.com
April 16, 2008 at 3:40 am
Due*Bei*Bambini
My first son would sit and watch it when he was a baby. Now that he is almost 5, he is hooked on TV. I have to set TV rules all the time. I always wondered if it was because i started him too early.
Then my 22 month old started watching when he was about 12 months, but he could care less. He will probably glance up for a few minutes, then start playing with toys instead.
Go figure. I guess every child is different and its up to the parent to make the decision for what is best for their child.
Best Wishes
February 15, 2009 at 5:31 pm
garza
What I find most interesting about this article is that the parent is unaware of her own lack of intelligence; easy four letter words are spelled incorrectly in this article. This would suggest that while Baby Einstein is not a form of advanced cognitive development, it would provide more education than that which the child would gain from home.